Saturday, November 19, 2022

Week 35- Saturday 12th - Saturday 19th November

 Burnt Barrel Restaurant, WA

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

We had an amazing lunch at Burnt Barrel, which is a restaurant that is known for its perfectly cooked, slow roasted meat. I had flavourful pork ribs with crunchy chips and sticky chicken wings (with different delicious sauces) on the side. Whilst we were waiting for our meals we played some games of (massive) Jenga, it was really fun. When I got my meal and tasted it, it was a flavour bomb! I really enjoyed it and when I finished I got a slice of sticky date cheese cake which was just as delectable as my main meal! I was so full I didn't even eat dinner that night!

We had a look at the Leaning Tree in Greenough (the Leaning Tree is on its side because of the strong wind that blows on it nearly 365 days a year)- it looked crazy!

Funny photo!👆

Playing Jenga.👆

My incredible slice of cheesecake.👆

Jackson and I had heaps of fun doing tricks on the swings that were at the restaurant.

Dongara, WA

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

We had a terrific time at John and Lois' house (we met them at Osprey, where they invited us to stay at their house). The afternoon we arrived they showed us around the property (they have over 40 acres) and it was beautiful. There was lots of things to see including all their olive trees and millions of Italian snails (Italian snails are pests) which were everywhere. We ate dinner with them that night and the next morning John and Lois showed us around the area and around Dongara, the town nearby. We had a great time at visiting them.

The Irwin River in Dongara. 

The view from memorial lookout (there is a photo of the memorial below).

The memorial for ships lost at sea.

There were weird seaweed cylinders on South Beach in Dongara

Saying good bye to John and Lois.👆
 
Milligan Island, WA

Star Rating:★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Milligan Island we:
  • Had fun playing and relaxing on the beach. Dad and Jackson went out and collected some crayfish that we had for dinner one night at our next camp spot.
  • Went exploring at Stockyard Gully caves, an underground cave system that was open for exploring. We were the only ones at the caves so it made it even creepier!  Even though it was creepy it was super cool to look through.
  • Before lunch on the second day we were at Milligan Island, Mum and I walked out to two of the small rocky islands (they were close the shore, the walk out to the furthest island was only about two hundred meters, and it was low tide when we walked out to them) and took some photos, we also saw some big Ospreys (ospreys are a species of sea bird) in their nests.
  • On the morning we left we packed up early and went to Billy Goat Bay for the morning. Whilst the boys went out to look for crayfish,  Mum and I went exploring up to Point Louise, there was a great view and we saw some interesting coloured seaweed.
Milligan Island was beautiful.

At the entrance to the caves and in them.👇

            

At the end of the caves.👆

Another 'Natures Window'!

One of the Milligan Islands.👆

We took an HILARIOUS photo !!!

Dad took my camera when he went out cray hunting and he took a photo of a crayfish in its cave!

When Dad took my camera out cray hunting he found a massive slug!

Walking along the cliffs at Point Louise.

Lake Indoon, WA

Star Rating:★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

We didn't do much at Lake Indoon but Dad, Jackson and I did go and have another look at Stockyard Gully Caves and we saw some small, cute chocolate bats. We also enjoyed a couple of walks around camp to look at the wildflowers, but as it was cold we mostly just chilled out.....literally!

The sunset over the lake.

Jackson and I had fun climbing a tree in front of our camp.

Monday, November 14, 2022

Week 34 - Friday 4th - Saturday 12th November

Murchison River Roadside Stop

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At the roadside stop we found a cute, private spot where we could settle down for a couple of days. We spent the 3 days we were there swimming down at the river and relaxing at camp. For afternoon tea one day we played the chocolate game, where you have to roll a dice and when you get a 6 you put on sunglasses, hat, scarf etc and start to cut the block of chocolate in front of you using a knife and fork! The aim of the game is to cut and eat the chocolate quickly before the next person rolls a 6. I sent chocolate flying when I tried to cut it with the knife, but I still ate a lot!! I had a lovely relaxing time at this campsite.


I had heaps of fun on a sand island in the middle of the river.
 
Playing the Chocolate Game (I got to eat a heap of chocolate)!👆

I found an awesome centipede that had heaps of cool colours on it!


Kalbarri, WA

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Kalbarri we went on lots of short walks, some in the National Park and some out of the National Park. Everywhere we went there was something new to see. At the caravan park there was even a long billed Corella that could say 'Hello'! Even though we had a great time exploring the area and playing with Fred (short for Frederica) the Corella, by far the best experience was when we were driving back from the National Park….

We were driving back from a magnificent afternoon at Kalbarri National Park when we spotted an echidna on the road. It looked like it had been hit by a car. After we'd driven for about 500m we agreed to turn back to check in case the echidna was still alive. It was! We took it back to camp where Jackson and I emptied out a metal cage (that was being used to hold empty cans) and put it over him so he was safe and could not escape. When we knew the echidna, who we named Puggles, was safe we went inside and Mum started calling people to see if there was a wildlife rescuer in the area. It turned out there was and she rang Mum back when Jackson and I were just about to get into bed. When we heard the lady say, 'When you drop the echidna off you can have a look at the joeys I am nursing at the moment,' Jackson and I jumped up and down pleading with Mum to let us come. Mum and Dad agreed, so Jackson and I hurriedly got changed into warm clothes and we drove up to her house. When we got there she had a lined eski to put the echidna in, but it was way too small (Puggles was the biggest echidna she had ever seen). When she'd gotten a bigger container to put Puggles in I noticed some of the joeys she was nursing, they were sitting in fabric pouches hanging on a clothes rack in her loungeroom! They were so cute and one kept sucking its tail like a dummy! She also bought out some tiny baby wallabies that had only been with her for a week. Jackson and I got to hold them in their special pouches that kept them warm. They were so cute and they kept feeling around looking for milk as if they were still in their mother's pouches. When we put the baby wallabies back in their warm basket we went outside to look at some of the larger joeys. Even though they weren't big yet, one of them started trying to box me and one came up to give us a hug! The lady said that even once she'd released them, some of the kangaroos came back to her house looking for water and food. When we left it was already 9.30pm and Jackson and I were nearly asleep on our feet as we'd had a big day out at the National Park. The next day the lady told us that the echidna was okay and he had minimal injuries. Finding the echidna and visiting Kerryn the wildlife carer was an awesome experience. 

Kalbarri was beautiful!

Fred (Fredricka) the Corella. She was so cute and she loved getting pats from us!👇



Where the river meets the sea at Kalbarri.

We went exploring on lots of short walks along the cliffs, every place we went to was so different!👇




There were lots of beautiful views on the Mushroom Rock Loop walk, which Mum and I did at sunset.




The sunset at Mushroom Rock.👆

The national park was beautiful, there were so many big and interesting rock formations.👇






There were some beautiful bright pink wildflowers in the National Park!


It was awesome on the Kalbarri Skywalk because it was super high (100 meters) and the view was amazing. Jackson and I had fun looking for hats that had blown off their owners' heads (there was heaps of hats)!

At Natures Window. The view was spectacular!👇



The Echidna!👆

I got to hold one of the tiny joeys!


One of the joeys sucked on its tail! It was so cute and funny!


Coronation Beach, WA

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Coronation Beach I:

  • Made a shell necklace for Mum they day we got there and I also worked on my sewing for a bit.  
  • Went into Geraldton for the day with Mum on the second day we were at Coronation Beach. We went in to drop the car off at a repair shop (which was on the edge of town) so we had to walk the entire time we were in Geraldton. We went to a café (after a huge walk) and I got a big slice of cookies and cream cake and an iced chocolate, they were yum!

  • Went to the library in Geraldton whilst I was in town with Mum. It was bigger than the city library in Darwin! I read heaps of books in the hour or so I was there and I got to borrow some books to read the next day.     
  • Ate crayfish that Dad and Jackson caught during the day.
  • I read the books I got from the library and sewed for nearly the whole day on our last day at Coronation Beach.
  • Enjoyed lots of walks along the beach.
The next day we left early in the morning.

On the first night at Coronation Beach we ate the chocolate mousse that we made earlier in the day; it had chocolate shavings, shredded coconut, raspberries and-ice cream on it and it was yum!

In Geraldton I got a iced chocolate and a slice of cookies and cream cake in a café, they were delectable!
The sunset over Coronation Beach.

The campsite was right on the beach!👆


Week 74- Monday 30th October- Sunday 5th November

Alice Springs , NT Star Rating:★★★★ ★=Full Star  ☆=Half Star This time around at Alice Springs we spent the whole time in the pool.....again...